The Moon Warrior's Quest: Shadow's bane
by Regii the Lunar Wolf
Summary: A new evil is threatening the land of Neo-Kanto. Can an old legend arise to face the challenge? Old friends, new rivals, and unexpected twists hurl Cam, the Moon Warrior, into one hell of a journey. HumanxPokemon, darkfic.
1. Chapter 1

So I've been thinking of doing a proper story for a while now

So I've been thinking of doing a proper story for a while now. I wrote an old story called 'The Moon Warrior's Quest', involving me and some friends. It got deleted, and I lost all of it. I may as well get back some dignity of it by writing something about it.

I'll try to explain everything you need to know in the first chapter, since it's easier than having to put A/N's every chapter. So, enjoy. Also, it's necessary to know that this fic does contain MAJOR PokemonxHuman. You've been warned, people.

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon is copyrighted to Nintendo and Gamefreak. All Pokemon characters are copyright to their original owners, and the main character belongs to me._

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**The Moon Warrior's Quest: Shadow's bane**

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The rain lashed against the closed window, making a repetitive, but almost rhythmic sound on the window pane. The dim light from outside hardly entered through the thick layer of water on the window, creating a misty view of the outside.

Though it was freezing and raining outside, it was comfortable and warm in the room. The alarm clock on the table near the window, whose ticking could hardly be heard over the pounding rain, read that it was 2:39 AM on its digital display. Next to it was an assortment of books, papers, and a lamp. On another desk on the other side of the room was a laptop, which was currently on, showing an e-mail with words on it. The e-mail was half-scrolled down, but the writing was in large font, so it was easy to read from a distance.

'_Hey there, it's been a while._

_I'm surprised you still live in Pallet Town. Being eighteen, I thought you would've moved somewhere like Johto. You always said how Johto was your favourite country, and I'm surprised you haven't moved there yet. However, now you have your own place, I'm sure it's Okay._

_I hope you're doing well. It's brilliant here in Hoenn. Living in Sootopolis sure is a change from Pallet. It's a lot cleaner here, and it's really nice. Though it's hard to get out much unless you have a water or flying Pokemon. However… I digress. It's nice here._

_I hope you and Luna are doing well. I heard you're planning to enter the new Neo-Kanto tournament sometime. I'm guessing you'll see some familiar faces from around, so beware of tough opponents. As for me, I'm fine. Settling in is a bit hard, but the people here are nice, and it's really clean._

_Missing you all from here._

_Yours truly,_

_Marcus._

_P.S: I heard Sam was planning to enter. Beat him one for me, Okay buddy?'_

Next to the laptop was a webcam, connected to the PC via a cable, and just behind that as a mobile phone – a Motorola Razor – plugged into a wall and charging. Another desk had a Television, and a Nintendo Wii perched upon the top, with several Gamecube controllers jutting out of the GCN ports. The rest of the outer room area was taken up of a wardrobe, a chest of drawers, and of course, the window. Among the clutter was a door, almost concealed by the side of the wardrobe.

The middle of the room had a large, comfortable bed in the centre. The covers were drawn up, and it had a large, white mass lying on top of it. On closer inspection, it turned out to be a huge, wolf-like creature, curled up on the bed. Her beautiful, slender body rose and fell with her breathing, and her eyes were squeezed shut. Her pale, silvery-white fur reflected the little light from the window and laptop, making her fur shimmer with an eerie glow. She rolled over, mumbling absentmindedly in her sleep.

The door opened, and a dark figure entered the room, closing the door behind him. He strolled over, and sat down on the chair in front of the laptop. His face was lit by the laptop, revealing dark green eyes behind long, dark brown hair. His face was contorted with the signs of fatigue and tiredness, and he blinked once or twice to remove the tired look from his eyes. He raised his hands, and his fingers began to dance over the keyboard in response to the e-mail. He sighed, using one hand to push the hair out of his eyes, the other continuing to type.

There was a sudden flash as lightning cracked outside the window, followed a second later by the sound of thunder. Momentarily distracted, the boy turned to the window, and stood, walking over to it. He frowned, staring out at the clouded sky, and the dark, shimmering mist the rain created.

'_It's been raining for the past three fucking hours…'_ the boy sighed, shaking his head, _'at this rate, the journey tomorrow may be impossible by train…'_

"Still raining?" The boy turned slowly to face the voice. The wolf on the bed had raised her head slightly, staring past him and out of the window. The boy nodded, turning back to the misty window.

"…Tomorrow's train may be cancelled, we may not be able to get to Viridian… and Route one would be flooded…"

"Dammit, Cam, you're so negative," The wolf sighed, "Lighten up, kid. It's almost three, you need sl… slee, hee…" The wolf yawned, and put her head back down on the bed, her eyes closing.

"…Go to bed, Cam…"

"In a minute," The boy returned to the computer, and began to type again. A second crack of thunder jarred across the sky, but he paid no attention this time. Instead, he ignored it, his eyes fixed on the computer screen, determined to finish his message.

About ten minutes later, he was done. He scrolled up, and began to read the e-mail silently.

'_Hey there Marcus,_

_I'm glad you're settling in. I'm pleased you found somewhere you liked, since wherever you went anywhere on our journey together, you always seemed to complain like hell._

_But it's good to hear from you. Luna and I are doing fine, and are looking forward to the Neo-Kanto tournament. You know how long it's been since I've been a Pokemon Trainer, and it'll be good to get back into the swing of things. I know my Pokemon would be happy, at least._

_I hope to see you again soon, man. I got a text from Sam the other day saying he is entering. It'll be good to battle him again. We're all coming back together, it'll be fun. Wish you were available to come, but I know how hard it is to get used to your new house. When Mum's house burned down, I was left with nowhere. I got this in Grandma's will before she died, so I was lucky. But I digress._

_It's a shame you can't come down to see us. Ashley, Joe, Al, Sam and all the others are here… well, almost. Ash is in Cerulean, and Joe's taking his sweet time in coming. Of course, coming from Sandgem town is a distance… especially having to take the ferry from Canalave. I hope he gets here soon._

_Catch you later,_

_Cam.'_

Cam told the e-mail to send, and finally proceeded in shutting down the laptop. Luna was right, it was getting late, and he needed to be up tomorrow to see Professor Oak. He sighed, standing up, closing the lid of the laptop, and putting it onto charge next to his phone. He walked over to the bed, and pulled the covers down a little. Realising he couldn't get in, he slowly picked up the now snoring wolf, and put her on the floor. Removing the covers, he lay down, and bent down, picking up Luna and placing her back in the bed. He drew the covers around the two of them, closing his eyes.

The two of them had been together for a few years now. Ever since Cam started his first Kanto quest when he was fourteen, Luna had found him and quickly earned his trust, becoming one of his most valuable Pokemon. Luna had not revealed herself first off, but had appeared to him as an Eevee. Cam had accepted her into his party, and they began their adventure. All the while, Luna kept a watch, waiting for the right time.

Whilst on his quest, Cam began to find out things out about himself, he was beginning to do weird things that no-one else could do. He had been able to manipulate people with hypnotism, and had prevented many things from happening just by willing them to do it. Though he was still unable to control them completely, he was getting the hang of it… though the last time he used it in Sinnoh, he'd managed to accidentally blow up a zeppelin.

During Cam's quest to become Pokemon master, a dark force had been dwelling in secret. Team Maquetic, an evil organization bent on destruction and testing on Pokemon, had been growing in numbers, and had begun to show their faces again to the public. They used Pokemon to create experiments and designs to control the Earth and all Pokemon in it. Team Maquetic's boss, simply with the codename 'Silver', had been manipulated by a dark force which had caused him to go insane and out of control.

Luna had sensed this evil presence, and the two had met up with Team Maquetic's first experiment in Saffron city – Mewthree, a prosthetic imitation of Mewtwo, with enhanced powers and abilities. In search of destroying him, Mewthree had caused the Silph Co. building to collapse, and destroyed a wide area of Saffron City. Mewthree escaped, and Cam had received a message, threatening that if he didn't turn himself over to Team Maquetic, then he would die. Cam returned home… to find it destroyed and both his parents dead.

Cam shut his eyes. He didn't want to remember this part, it stung him deeply. He rolled over, and felt Luna snuggle up next to him. He smiled, wrapping an arm around her. Luna had, shortly after the accident, revealed herself to Cam, and taken him to Mount Moon's summit. At the tip of Mount Moon, Cam was greeted by a creature called a Lunareon, who sacrificed himself to become a sacred sword. Cam took the sword, and Luna portrayed herself to him, and showed who she really was.

Luna was a Lunareon… and Cam was the Moon Warrior, duty of protecting human and Pokemon alike. Cam had, reluctantly, accepted, and trained thoroughly with Luna to enhance his power. During this time, their friendship grew, and a little bit of a relationship began to form with the two. However, this was not allowed to show, since Cam had to pretend Luna was just his Eevee. The two continued on their Pokemon journey after that, with little interruption. However, when they reached Fuschia City…

_-/-/-/-/- FLASHBACK (From the Original story) -/-/-/-/-_

"_Safari Zone? What's that?"_

_The Safari Zone is where you can catch Pokemon at your own will!" The entrance manager proclaimed, "Just 50 for a try! 30 balls, 30 minutes! Whaddya say?"_

"…_Should we?" Cam blinked down at Luna, who wagged her tail lightly._

"_I don't see why you can't," Luna said telepathically, with a smile, "You need a break, Cam. Wind down and relax a bit."_

"_..Sure," Cam turned to the entrance guard, and grabbed the money from his pocket, "Here you are, Sir."_

"_Thank you!" cried the man, stowing the money in the machine, and bringing out a box of oddly coloured Pokeballs, "Now these here are Park Balls. Park Balls are used to catch Pokemon in the park. You have thirty of them, and your time starts…" He raised his hand, and then slapped it down on a bell on the counter, "NOW!"_

"_Let's go, Luna!" Cam dived headlong out of the door, Luna tailing him, as the two entered the massive park filled with Pokemon._

_However, before he'd even taken ten steps, someone tackled him to the floor, grabbing his arms and forcing them behind his back. Cam cried out, momentarily stunned, as Luna dived towards the attacker. However, there was a flash, and Luna was thrown backwards, hitting the wall and blacking out instantly._

"_LUNA!" Cam cried, as he kicked the attacker with his foot. The man dropped off, but as he did, two more men dived on top of Cam, pinning him to the floor. A fourth man approached, holding something in his hand. It was almost like a headset, covering the whole head, and with earphones on the side for the ears. He grabbed Cam's head, and shoved the device onto him, flicking a switch. Cam let out a blood-curdling scream, and then felt nothing._

_He blacked out._

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Cam winced. He had a feeling that the device he'd been equipped with was for more than just hurt. He guessed it must have been used for another purpose.

However, Team Maquetic's base had been ambushed, and destroyed. Cam supposed the device had been destroyed along with it, and thought not much more of it. But now he thought about it… the less it all made sense.

What was that device for?

Luna rolled over in her sleep, and Cam smiled, stroking her absentmindedly. The two of them had been together for four years. Cam was now eighteen, and had battled through many hard trials to get to who and how he was today. Not just the trials of training to be a Moon Warrior (Which paid off), but also the trials of being a Trainer. He still remembered his three Pokemon – Gardevoir, Lopunny and Lucario – were all at Professor Oak's lab, waiting for him to start the tournament. He visited them regularly, but had lost his interest in training after certain issues arose.

The thunder flashed once again outside, and Cam sighed. Remembering all this made him tired, and he slowly began to drift off. He remembered his friends, his Pokemon, Luna…

…And finally… his parents. His parents… who's house had been destroyed by Silver's master, who had planted explosives in the house. His parents had left him one last message, which Cam replayed every day. One crucial sentence that kept him going throughout this whole time.

'_Remember Cam,'_ his Dad spoke on the tape, _'…You may be journeying around, but though you may feel lonely, you have friends. You have your Pokemon. And we're always here, rooting for you from home. Remember this Cam… no matter what you think, or what anyone does to you… you're never truly alone.'_

With those words, Cam fell asleep next to his partner, smiling.

'_Neo-Kanto… can't wait…'_

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The creature surveyed the wreckage in front of him, his eyes dark and emotionless. He walked slowly through the rubble, almost searching for something. He was scanning the ground, and his eyes began to glow.

'_It can't have been destroyed… not when he put it in that indestructible case…'_

He pushed some rubble out of the way, to find a broken, smashed bookcase. It had been completely wrecked, the shelves split in two, the entire thing was charred and burned, and it was covered in dust and rubble. The creature sighed, pushing it aside, and digging deeper.

'_Come on… where is it?'_

He dug deeper and deeper, until finally, his claws hit the sound of metal. Grinning, his eyes flashed brighter. They then widened in a mixture of glee and triumph.

'_Found it!'_

With a swing of his claw, he swiped the remaining stuff away, and pulled out a small, metal box. It may have been indestructible once, but the metal was now rusting, and the catch was weak. With one swing of his claw, he sliced through the lock. The lid swung open, and he snarled in delight.

Reaching inside the box, he pulled out a small, semi-circle-like object, with an indent underneath. He grinned, holding it so it flashed in the moonlight.

"So… Silver wasn't as dumb as he looked…" The creature murmured, clutching the item in his grasp, "…I found it at last… now after all this time..."

He stood, and slowly floated into the air, his tail twitching. Only his silhouette remained, outlined against the moon.

It was a horrible sight. A jagged set of teeth and glowing, red eyes were the only things visible. His frame was tall, and slender, with thin arms and legs. He had a huge tail, which snaked behind him. His hands had four, clawed fingers on them, and he smirked as he floated up further.

"I will have my revenge… I am… Mewthree. The Moon Warrior's demise is almost upon us…"

And with that, he soared off, leaving a deserted wreckage in his wake. Hardly any evidence was left that he was there at all. The area was silent.

Back in Pallet, an eighteen year old boy was planning a new adventure. Little did he know… the adventure he was about to take…

…Was going to take an unexpected turn of events.

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…**Yeah, I know it's a little confusing at first, but… you'll all understand as the story goes on. Don't worry about it.**

**So? How do you like it? Review with your ideas, please. I MAY be accepting cameos in later chapters, but I'll mull that over in my head.**

**Well, review! Catch you next chapter!**

**+Cam, Moon Warrior+**


	2. Chapter 2

Do a barrel roll

Do a barrel roll!

…Nah, but here we go. Chapter two. Hope you guys enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** See chapter one.

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Cam rolled over, his senses becoming slowly aware of the bright light in his face. He snarled, half awake, turning away from the light, throwing his face back into shadow. He didn't want to get up, not yet, anyway.

He proceeded to roll over a bit more, until he felt a sudden lurching feeling and a thud as he hit the floor. He groaned, shaking his head angrily.

"I really gotta stop doing that…"

With a grunt, he stood up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Glancing at the digital display, the time on the clock read 10:42. Cam stared at it, then face-palmed.

"Oh shit… I was supposed to see the Professor today…" He sighed, and his nose became aware of the smell of bacon and tomatoes cooking downstairs. Slowly, he changed and took a shower, letting the hot water roll down his back and arms, off his shoulders and down his legs. He sighed as he mulled the idea of his next journey in his mind.

'_So… I wonder what the Professor wanted to see me about…'_

After his shower, he quickly got dressed, packed his keys, phone, and iPod into his pockets, and walked downstairs. Luna was already up in the kitchen, eating her own food. How a wolf Pokemon could cook was unbeknownst to Cam, but in all honesty, she was very good.

"You're late," She scolded as he walked in, "You were supposed to be there an hour ago."

"…Good morning to you too, sunshine," Cam mumbled, slouching down on a seat and grabbing the paper which Luna had kindly brought in from the front door. Luna frowned, turning to him.

"Hey, hey, I didn't mean to…"

"Forget it, sorry," Cam sighed, "I am late, I know…"

Luna strolled over to him, and rubbed up against his side, "Don't take it the wrong way, alright? I didn't mean it…"

"…It's fine," Cam sighed, running his fingers through her fur. She purred lightly, and nuzzled his hand affectionately.

"…So where's mine then?" Cam jabbed a thumb towards her plate, and she mimicked the motion with her paw, pointing to the surface opposite from him in the kitchen.

"I let it warm back up in the microwave for you," She nodded, and returned to her own breakfast as Cam stood, walking over to the microwave and opened it. He took out his food, sat at the table and began to eat.

The kitchen sat in silence as they ate. Luna ate quietly, not looking at Cam, and Cam had his eyes fixed on the paper in his hands as he chewed a mouthful of bacon. The only sounds being made were the sounds of the paper being rustled as he turned the pages.

'_Nothing interesting, as usual…'_ Cam frowned, turning another page, _'You'd think there'd be something about the tournament in here…'_

'_Is there anything really that interesting in there anyway?'_ asked Luna's voice in his head. Cam eyed her and shrugged, _'I guessed not…'_

As Cam turned the page, he took one look at the header, and promptly spat out his juice into the cup again. Luna, startled, turned her head quickly, "What's up?"

"Here, listen!" Cam began to read the article aloud, unfolding it on the table.

"_Ketchum comeback! Ash Ketchum returns to take part in the newly announced Neo-Kanto tournament!"_ Cam looked at Luna, "Marcus was right, we would meet some old friends, huh?"

"So Ketchum's coming? The Pokemon Master Ketchum?" Luna jumped up onto the chair next to him and read alongside him.

"Seems like it. How many other Ash Ketchum's are there?" Cam replied, and continued to read the article.

"_Famous Pokemon Master Ash Ketchum is returning to his homeland of Kanto to compete in the brand new 'Neo-Kanto' tournament. In an interview, Sir Ketchum simply stated that 'He can't wait for a new challenge to test his Pokémon's skills'. It is also rumoured that the other finalist of Ash's last tournament debut, the Kanto Pokemon League, Cameron Muir, is also entering the tournament. We were unable to find Cameron for an interview, but I'm sure we are all looking forward to the Neo-Kanto tournament in a week's time. Everyone get strapped in for one of the most incredible tournaments of your life!"_

"Overdramatic much, aren't they?" Cam lowered the paper to look at Luna, "They could've just asked you…"

"I don't like publicity," he replied coolly as he finished up his breakfast and dumped it in the wash-basin to do later, "Come on, we're late as it is."

"Sure," Luna nodded, and, as Cam put on his blue jacket, she opened the door, and the two walked out, hurrying to the Professor's lab.

It was only a short distance to the lab, and they made it in about ten minutes. Professor Oak's lab hadn't changed one bit – still the cream-coloured brick structure with the red roof. Cam hurried up to the door, and knocked on it rapidly. There was a moment's pause, and the door slowly swung open.

"I was wondering if you'd turn up or not," the spiky, brown-haired man stood in the doorway, a look of mock annoyance on his face, "You always seem to have a habit of turning up late, don't you, Cameron?"

"Heh… sorry Professor…" Cam rubbed the back of his neck, as he slowly entered the front door, the Professor closing it after Luna had also entered. He smiled down at her.

"Ah, Luna, it's nice to see you again so soon."

"The pleasure's all mine, Gary," She lowered her head, and Gary smiled down at her appreciatively.

"So, what did you want from me, Professor?" Cam asked, puzzled. Gary Oak's face turned into a lopsided smile, as we continued through the lab to the back door, opening it.

"I'll explain in a moment, but first… I think there's a few Pokemon who want to meet you…"

"…Huh?" Cam stepped out into the enormous back garden, the wind catching his face as he stared around. The place was alive with noise, the sounds of chirping Starly and Pidgey caught his ears, as well as the moo-ing of a far-off Miltank. He searched the area, looking around. However, no other Pokemon were spotted. He turned back to the Professor, puzzled.

"Sorry, but who wants to see…?"

"_CAAAAAAAAAAAM!!"_ Cam had just enough time to wheel around as something large, brown, fluffy and bouncing collided with him, sending him sprawling. As if that wasn't enough, two more Pokemon jumped on top, crushing him under their weight. The huge brown rabbit Pokemon smiled, and hugged him affectionately, _"Hi Cam!"_

"Flopsy…" Cam gagged, struggling, "…Luca… Gabrielle… too… _HEAVY_…"

"…_Oh,"_ all three Pokemon got off him in unison, as Cam gulped in air, happy to be able to breathe again. Slowly sitting up, Cam looked at the three, smiling happily.

"…I didn't quite have time to say, but I missed you too. I couldn't say due to the 'sudden welcome parade'," Cam joked, standing slowly, massaging his ribs, "…So how are you three? Training like I told you to?"

"_Of course,"_ Luca, the Lucario, answered for them, smiling at him, _"What did you expect from us?"_

"Well, uh… um…" Cam rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, "I, uh…"

"Cut him some slack, girls," Luna cut in, taking a step forward in defence, "He's been up most of the night worried about getting to the tournament tomorrow."

"Oh! That's right!" the Professor nodded at them, and turned, "Cam, girls, can I ask you to follow me?"

As the four Pokemon followed their Trainer **(A/N: Cam isn't really Luna's trainer. She just uses that as a cover when he's not being a Moon Warrior.)**, they began to catch up on old times and what they'd been doing. Most of it involved training, and Luna telling them what Cam had been getting up to.

The six of them entered back into the lab, cutting past equipment and tables, to a door labelled, _'TOP SECRET'_. Cam eyed the Professor as he pressed his hand against the code on the wall, allowing the door to slide open with a hiss. He slowly turned, facing Cam with a suddenly dark expression on his face.

"Cam, what I'm about to show you… may shock you," at the sound of that, the four behind them shut up instantly. Cam eyed the Professor calmly, unfazed by the sudden, almost denying threat.

"Show me," He ordered, calmly. The Professor slowly nodded, descending the stairs slowly. Cam and the others followed, the others with worried expressions on their face. Cam's face had become serious, his eyes darker than normal. Luna had noticed this, and was even more edgy than the other three. Cam had looked like this a couple of times before, and it usually didn't mean something good was coming.

At the bottom of the long, winding stair-case, the Professor nudged the door open quietly, entering slowly. Luca and Gabrielle could feel the strangely dark emotion coming from him, and exchanged glances. Flopsy looked from one face to the next, completely bewildered. As the door opened completely, Cam entered, pushing past the Professor slightly into the large room.

The air was sterile, as though it had been cleaned too thoroughly. Cam felt himself shiver, and that wasn't just because it was freezing. Something about this room… rubbed him the wrong way. Luna was having similar feelings, her fur on end, sniffing around.

"Cam," the five turned to face the Professor, who had walked over to a large computer screen, almost covering one wall. He turned, a sombre expression on his face, "We… we have discovered something… rather disturbing…"

Cam's right eye twitched, "Disturbing as in… what?"

Gary Oak fidgeted, unsure of how to phrase the next sentence, "We found something… it concerns you, and, um…" he faltered, "…Your parents."

There was a sudden silence in the room once the Professor had said that. It wasn't a welcome silence either, the air becoming even colder as Cam's face darkened considerably. Luna fidgeted on the floor, eyeing Cam quietly, as his three Pokemon glanced nervously at each other, silently wondering what their Trainer would do next. Cam slowly nodded, as an encouragement for the Professor to proceed, which he did, turning back to the computer.

"It seems… before their house was destroyed, Cameron, that they left a message to you…"

"I know," Cam nodded, folding his arms, "A day before they died, I received it in the post. It was Dad and Mum saying I was never alone, and that I always had friends… What does that have to do with this?"

"Cam, I'm sorry…" The Professor looked it too, anguish etched all over his face, "But on the same day they died… they left another message… it was only discovered last week," Cam froze, his eyes, once sparkling like Emeralds, had become as hard as diamonds. The Professor saw this, and lowered his head, "We… we couldn't tell you because the police took it straight off us. The police had to use it as evidence, and once they recorded it onto their system, they sent it back for us to analyse…"

"And?" Cam's single word cut the cold air like a sword. Gary fidgeted, unsure of what to say.

"Well, uh, we… haven't gotten far on it so much…" he frowned, shaking his head, "But… if you want to listen to the original, then… here it is…" Gary put an audio file up on the screen, and pressed play. There was a moment's pause, and the sound suddenly came out of the surround-sound system. The noise was mostly static and gibberish, but Cam could just about make out words in the background noise. He couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, but he caught the words 'friend' and 'not'. His eyes were now totally emotionless, his face equal.

Once the media file had reached near the end, the noise suddenly jarred violently. The audio was suddenly filled with the sound… of violent screaming. Cam's face paled, along with all his Pokemon, as the sounds of someone screaming came across the speakers. The sound suddenly snared into a whole load of static… and then blacked out.

The whole room was quiet, except for the hum of the machinery. The Professor looked at the screen blankly, once again unsure of what to do. Cam, however, had his fist clenched, and his eyes closed. Cam hardly ever showed anger, but all of them could see the almost visible dark aura surrounding his figure. Cam slowly bit his lip, opening his mouth slightly.

"That…" Cam muttered, making the others turn to him, "That was… Mum screaming…"

"I'm sorry, Cam," Gary finally found the words to say, "We'll… we'll get it to you once we've fully deciphered it. Meanwhile… I…" He trailed off, looking at Cam, "…Cam…?"

"I…" Cam didn't respond, his eyes on the floor. Gabrielle put a hand on his shoulder, and finally spoke for the first time.

"…_Cam, listen,"_ She whispered, sounding as comforting as she could. It seemed to work, because Cam raised his head up to her, _"…W-we can understand if you want to be alone… this is, I know, hard on you…"_

"_But,"_ Flopsy continued, taking up from where her partner left off, _"We're behind you all the way, sweetie."_

"_Of course!"_ Luca smiled, patting his back, _"All for one, one for all – aim for the top, and the rest'll fall!" _**(A/N: This is Cam's motto he taught his Pokemon in the first book to boost their moral.)**

"_Right on!"_ chimed in the other two, and they simultaneously hugged him. A huge blush appeared on his cheeks as he closed his eyes appreciatively.

"I do know one thing," Cam said suddenly, looking at his Pokemon, "…Dad was right. I do have friends. So long as you have friends… you are never truly alone…"

"Ah!" said the Professor, attracting our attention, "I also got another message for you, Cam. From someone named 'Ashley'?"

"Oh yeah? Please tell…"

"He said he'll meet you at Viridian City. Route one's flooded too much to get to Pallet town, and he also informed me he's with two other people there…"

"Joe and Sam?" Luna questioned Cam, her eyes glinting with excitement. Cam smirked, as his three Pokemon let go of him.

"I guess so," He turned to the Professor, "Can you send him a message? Tell him I'll be there in about an hour or two."

"Of course," the Professor smiled, and then added, "Good luck, Cam! I wish you the best of luck in the tournament!"

"Thanks, Professor!" Cam called back, before running up the stairs, taking them three at a time.

However, though Cam looked joyful, his eyes were hidden behind his hair the entire time. No one had noticed this as he kept running up the stairs, to the top, and finally out of the door towards his house. No one could see his eyes. That was the key.

Eyes were always truthful. They never lied about the emotions inside.

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It took them about thirty minutes to pack everything they needed into a large rucksack, which included, as well as clean clothes; Cam's Pokedex, his DS Lite, his charger for phone and DS, torch, spare Pokeballs, wallet, snacks, and a few other possessions that weren't particularly worth mentioning at the time.

Once they'd got ready, Cam headed to the most northern part of Pallet Town. Here, the road towards Viridian was covered in mud, looking very dirty and almost un-crossable. Cam frowned, looking across the entire stretch of the route. He sighed, and turned to his Pokemon.

"…Well, looks like we have no other choice but to walk," this was met by all three Pokemon whining, and Luna cocking her head at him.

"_Not in this mud, come on!"_ Gabrielle cried, _"My dress would get soaked!"_

"_My fur would be ruined!"_ Flopsy whined loudly, _"I'm not trudging through all of THAT!"_

Even Luca, who usually didn't mind a bit of mud, was looking worried, _"I… have to admit, it doesn't look appealing…"_

Cam sighed in irritation, pulling the three Pokeballs off of his belt, "Okay, back in the ball, then. I'll let you all out when we get there, alright?"

The three nodded, vanishing into their respective Pokeballs in a flash of red light. Cam sighed, looking at Luna, "You want to go into the Pokeball too, Luna?"

"Uh, no thanks…" She replied sheepishly, "Someone needs to keep an eye out on you."

Cam pouted, "And what's _THAT_ supposed to mean, exactly?"

"Forget it and move your sorry butt," She growled, beginning to walk on ahead. Cam sighed, following her quietly through the mud-coated route.

It wasn't too hard to walk, but even so, within thirty minutes, the bottom of Cam's trouser legs and shoes were caked in mud. Luna's paws, too, were stained brown as the two padded through the mud-stained grass, trees now surrounding them on either side. The sun was slowly making its way across the sky, ducking behind random clouds as it did, throwing them into slight shadow. Cam looked around, the stench of mud filling his nostrils, and realised they'd walked quite far down route one. Looking in front, he could see trees looming up ahead. Smiling, he recalled the memories here on his first quest, four years back.

"This is where I met Gabrielle," Cam said aloud, attracting Luna's attention, "It's sure been a while, hm…?"

"…Sure has," Luna mumbled, walking a bit faster, "On the other side of there is Viridian City. We aren't too far now."

Cam nodded, and quickened his pace. They were soon in the forest, where it was less muddy due to it getting less soaked thanks to the shade the trees had given. Luna walked ahead, once or twice rubbing her paws against the damp grass, trying to get the mud off. Cam imitated her action, rubbing his trainers against the grass to get the mud off, creating loud squeaking noises.

The wood suddenly opened into a clearing that Cam recognised. He paused, smiling. Luna, noticing his stop, turned to him, "…Something wrong?"

"No," Cam smiled, "This was where I met Gabrielle. My first Pokemon on my first journey."

Luna smiled, and gave a surprising giggle, "You two go back a long way, don't you?"

Cam smiled, and began to walk again. Suddenly, he froze, looking at the dark grass below him, the colour draining from his face. Luna, noticing his reaction, looked at the grass, then at Cam, "What now?"

"Luna," Cam asked suddenly, "What time is it?"

"Eh?" Luna blinked, "Well… it was twelve-thirty when we left, so maybe… quarter-past one?"

"Then why's it so fucking dark?" Cam retorted. This attracted Luna's attention as she noticed how dark the grass was.

The two simultaneously raised their heads to the sky, to see a dark, black cloud blotting out the sun. Cam instantly reacted, taking a fighting stance. Luna followed suit, crouching down and growling. The black cloud whirled and folded on itself, convulsing in the sky, the actual darkness of it melting into itself. Slowly, a small, ball of blackness fell out of the cloud, down to Earth, hitting the ground with a splat.

There was a small pause, but then the small 'splat' began to quiver. It's mass rising off the ground on two, spindly legs, and grew two arms which were just as thin as the legs. A smaller ball grew on its head, creating a head, with two, piercing red eyes and a small horn. Its mouth leered, revealing a row of jagged teeth. Its fangs bared, it glared at the two, now with a long tail growing from its rear. It looked a bit like a Croagunk, but with thinner arms and legs. It advanced towards the two, its teeth snapping ferociously.

"Is that…" Luna muttered, her eyes widening, "Is that a…?"

"A Kurotsume? Yeah, it is," Cam hissed, holding his ground, "The little bastards…"

The creature gave another hiss, the large claw on the end of its arm glinting in the darkness. Luna crouched down, eyeing it.

"There's only one, I can take it on…"

Cam nodded, "Alright, go ahead."

Luna nodded, and dived forward at blinding speed. The Kurotsume had no time to react as it was obliterated on contact, its body breaking into whispers of darkness. Cam smiled, as Luna shook herself off, grinning.

"Was there only one?" Cam looked surprised… which soon faded, as the dark cloud above the clearing grew, and more shadowy balls fell from the sky. Cam counted at least ten, as they all landed, and mimicked the first, growing arms and legs, and sprouting heads. The two were completely surrounded now, pinned in from all sides. Cam growled, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"You… what are you all doing back here?!"

The creatures ignored him, and just continued towards them, claws glinting. Cam frowned, raising his hand to the sky.

"I wished I never had to do this again… but you leave me no choice."

With that, he clicked his fingers. A bright flash surrounded him, as small orbs of light circled up his legs, leaving solid trails behind, which twisted around each of his legs. The two orbs met at his waist, and became one large orb, that encircled his stomach and chest, and then finally split back into two orbs, running up his arms and to his fingertips. Cam closed his eyes as the light enveloped him, blinding everyone for a few moments. Luna, having known what was coming, had closed her eyes, waiting until the light faded. As it did, Cam laughed loudly, a triumphant laugh that made Luna smile.

"Cam!"

"Looks like the Moon Warrior's back in business!"

As the light faded, Cam reappeared, but not as himself any more. He'd grown at least several inches in height, his hair now longer and completely shadowing his eyes. The eyes themselves were now exceptionally bright, the irises even glowing a fluorescent green. His clothing had changed – his jeans and jacket being replaced by shining white armour. His hands, fore-arms, chest, legs and boots were white. His back-arms, around his neck, shins and from his waist to his legs were covered in black armour. He had a long, white cape with a black inside, which flapped in the sudden cold breeze as he stared at the now half-frozen creatures. Luna smiled broadly as Cam folded his arms in triumph.

"It's good to have you back to your old self. You're looking a lot stronger than last time you were a Moon Warrior."

Cam smiled back, and raised his right arm, fingers clicking again. Another flash, and a sheath appeared on his back, strapped to it under his cape. Cam nodded, grabbing the sword by the hilt. In one swift movement, he spun round, drawing the sword and pointing it at the creatures, which backed away slightly.

"It's good to be back, Luna. I missed this form," Cam studied his sword – the same, jet black handle, with the pale, glowing blade jutting out in front, about four feet long. Cam hefted the sword onto his shoulder, before smirking at the creatures.

"Prepare yourself…"

There was a sudden silence as Luna and Cam stood back to back, surrounded by the dark creatures. Luna growled darkly, and Cam crouched, ready to spring.

It happened faster than you could blink. With breakneck speed, Cam dived forward, cutting two of the creatures to shreds as he did so. Luna howled, and lunged, her teeth sinking in to one of the dark creatures on her side of the field, as she swung it around, crating a circle of light, knocking out three of the creatures. With half their ranks gone with only two moves, the other five decided to try to gang up on Cam. Cam crouched, then back-flipped, making a perfect summersault in the air. As he landed, he brought his sword crashing down, crating a spike of light to come out of the ground where the sword struck. Four of the creatures were sent to death, where the final one was sent flying, and shot by a small ball of light blasted by Luna. She sighed, turning to Cam.

"…Well that sucked," she chuckled, "Didn't even break a sweat."

"Hm," Cam closed his eyes, and, in another bright flash, returned to his normal self, with his muddy jeans and jacket. As he did this, the dark cloud vanished above them, revealing the afternoon sky. Cam sighed irritably, and turned to his companion.

"Does that mean… the World isn't at peace as we planned?"

Luna frowned, "I'm afraid the chances look dim, Cam. If there were Kurotsume… then the darkness is back. And I don't think it's just here for a day trip."

"Huh, weird though…" Cam frowned, as the two continued to walk towards Viridian, "Those Kurotsume's were easy compared to ones in the past…"

"Maybe since you destroyed Jackson and Silver, the darkness has weakened," Luna suggested, "But that still doesn't explain why they'd come back… especially so close to civilization…"

"Speaking of civilization," Luna raised her head to see Viridian City looming underneath the hillside, "Viridian City. Hope we aren't late."

"Who cares?" Laughed Luna, "It's only Joe."

"…And Ashley and Sam."

"…Point taken."

The two continued towards the Pokemon Centre, where they entered to find three people having a heated argument. Cam recognized them instantly, and smiled, but decided to listen to their argument from a distance.

"What else was I supposed to say?" asked the first boy angrily. He had black, curly hair, coffee-coloured skin and was the tallest one of the trio. He was wearing black trousers, a red top and black jacket. He frowned in irritation, "Oh, am I supposed to say 'Yes? Yes! The Tournament will be a breeze! There are no losers, and everyone leaves happy! The end!'"

"STOP INVADING MY PERSONAL SPACE!!" the second boy cried, almost as loudly. He was slightly shorter than the first boy, with messy blonde hair, light skin and blue eyes. He was simply wearing black jeans and a blue, sleeveless jacket, with black gloves. He pouted as the other boy laughed, "I've just had to come all the way from Sandgem Town! Don't mess with me, I'm in a foul mood!"

"Oh come on JC, lighten up…" the third boy was even shorter than the blonde boy, with short black hair, brown eyes and light skin. He was wearing a black-and-white hooded sweatshirt, with dark blue jeans. He smiled lightly, even though the blonde boy was giving him a death glare.

"Shut up Sam!" the blonde boy snarled angrily, "I can be mad if I want to, and no one can stop me from—"

"Hey guys!" Cam took this opportunity to step forward, making himself known. The three boys all stopped, and turned to him, grinning.

"Cam, hey!" the black haired boy ran up, and hugged him, "Long time no see!"

"Hey Ash, how's it been?"

"Meh, not bad," the boy simply replied, making Cam laugh.

"That's your reply to everything," he grinned, then turned to the blonde haired boy, "JC, Joe! I heard it was a long trip, man…"

"Tell me about it," Joe scowled, folding his arms in annoyance. Ash gave Cam a look of 'He's upset, so it's funny'.

Cam turned to the final boy, his smile widening, "Sam!"

"Cam!" Sam walked over, and slapped a high-five with him, "Wassup? How's it hanging?"

"Not bad…" Cam smiled, only telling minimal truth, "So what are you up to?"

"We're annoying Joe! Wanna join in?"

"Sure!" Cam laughed, giving a thumbs-up. Joe scowled in annoyance, and then whined loudly.

"How do people keep getting in here?!"

"Front door," all three of the other boys pointed to the glass double-doors, and Joe face-palmed. There was a long, awkward pause, only breaking when Cam piped up with something that made everyone look at him in a weird manner. Even the red-headed woman behind the desk eyed him curiously.

"…Your mother is fat."

JC blinked, then narrowed his eyes, "Was that _really_ necessary?"

"Is your _face_ necessary?" Cam retorted, making Luna giggle lightly.

"I'm pretty sure it is," Ash smiled, shaking his head, "he needs it to breathe and everything…"

"You don't need a face to breathe," Cam smiled, folding his arms, "You just need a mouth and windpipe."

"Your _mother_ needs a face to breathe," Joe snapped, making Cam step back. It hurt him deeply, but Cam tried not to let it show as Joe gave him one of his trademark death glares. Ash took a stand in front of Cam, taking up his defence.

"Hey, that's a low blow! Leave Cam's past out of this!"

"YOUR MUM IS A FACE," Cam suddenly snarled back, his eyes twitching in fury, "AND I'D TAKE IT POLITELY IF YOU DIDN'T INSULT MY DEAD MOTHER, THANK YOU."

Cam didn't yell, but the impact of it made all three step away from him, almost as if they'd been pushed. Joe tried to retort, but found himself facing Luna, snarling at him. Faced with an angry Cam, and an even angrier Luna, Joe gave up and backed down.

"Cam, you alright?" asked Ashley, walking over and putting a hand on his shoulder. Cam simply nodded, but didn't tell them the truth. He didn't mention about the things the Professor had said or shown, but instead forced a smile to hide his emotions.

"…Y-yeah, I'm… fine."

"Well, it's good to have the four of us back together," Sam smiled, "Now if only Marcus were here…"

"Marcus said he's fitting into his new house at Sootopolis. He said he'd keep in contact."

"I see…" Ashley nodded, and Sam imitated. Joe, however, simply turned and began to walk away. Cam watched him go, an unreadable expression on his face.

"So, Cam!" Ash brought the older boy back to reality with a quick flick to the ear, "What Pokemon are you using?"

"Oh, you know…" Cam smiled, "The usual. Flopsy, Luca and Gabrielle."

"..And?" This question took Cam by surprise.

"…And what?"

Ash sighed, "You do know you need at least six Pokemon to enter, right? Or did you forget?"

A long pause, followed by a slap as Cam face-palmed himself.

"…**Fuck.**"

"…Well, that takes up your week until the tournament starts," Sam grinned, "Catching three more Pokemon… hey, wait," he looked down at Luna, "Can't you use Luna? I mean…" He leaned in a little, "As… in her Eevee form?"

Cam nodded, and looking at Luna's determined face, smiled, "That makes two…"

"Well, good luck with that," Ash smiled, patting Cam on the shoulder. As Sam turned to leave, Ashley's grip tightened, "Cam, are you sure you're Okay?"

"I…" Cam frowned, and suddenly found himself explaining everything. The message, the screams, his mother, the Kurotsume and having to use his Moon Warrior form again. Ashley's face darkened as he spoke, and then, he straightened up, nodding.

"So… the world really _ISN'T_ at peace…" He sighed, "Shit man… we got our work cut out for us…"

"Damn straight we do," Luna mumbled, making them both jump. It'd been a while since she'd last spoken, "Obviously, someone's trying to re-enact the darkness again. It's obviously with a motive."

"And that is…?"

Luna sighed in annoyance, "Ashley, if I knew, I would have told you."

"Fair duce…" Ashley sighed, shaking his head, "Well… keep your guard up, Cam. We've got a lot of work heading for us soon."

Cam simply nodded, as Ash turned and walked towards the stairs. This wasn't exactly the way he'd wanted the reunion to go to plan. Wheeling around, he stormed outside, where it was now evening, the sun sinking behind the low cloud. Cam watched it in silence, unsure of what to think anymore. Darkness, his mother's new message, and… her death…

"Come back outside, have you?" Cam looked down. Joe was leaning up against a pillar, his eyes half-open against the glare of the sun. Cam snorted, closing his eyes and looking away.

"…Sure, why not?"

Throughout their adventure, Cam and Joe, though friends, never really met eye-to-eye on many subjects. One such subject was Pokemon. Joe was a collector, where as Cam was a trainer. Cam cared for the well-being of Pokemon, training to make them tough. Joe simply caught to collect, to show off and increase his ego.

"I overheard your talk in there," Joe continued, making Cam look around at him, "…I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"I never told," Cam smiled lightly, then looked at Joe, a frown replacing his smile, "…So what are you using?"

"Hm? You mean Pokemon-wise?" With a nod from Cam, he continued, "Well, I'm using some Pokemon from Sinnoh, my home country. They've been with me since I was a kid. And you?"

"Hm… I'm planning to catch two more this week," Cam shook his head. Joe smirked.

"Leaving it a bit late, Cam?"

"Humph," Cam turned away, not looking back at him, "JC… there's more to Pokemon than collecting. You need to show them love and trust, no matter whether you're a collector or a breeder, or a Trainer. All Pokemon deserve respect."

"I… don't care," Joe sighed, "Pokemon are used to improve my collection, they are used to show how many types I have, how rare I can get, how strong I am by catching so many."

"…I won't argue with your opinion," Cam turned, and began to walk back inside, "Your shit ain't my business…"

"Wait, Cam," Cam turned to see a Pokeball fly his way. Instinctively, he caught it, and looked at it. He looked back up at Joe, who gave a rare smile, "Here. You're missing a Pokemon, I can spare a few."

"Joe…" Cam was speechless, unable to say anything, as Joe walked past him and into the building. Cam turned, and called after him, "Good luck in the tournament, JC!"

Joe paused, and looked back, his fist clenching, "…Yeah. I'll be waiting."

"Give it your all, JC," Cam smiled, "All for one, and…"

"…One for all," Joe smiled, and walked back inside. Cam looked at the Pokeball in his hand, and smiled.

"Dad's right… I'm never alone…" He smiled, pocketing the Pokeball, and heading back inside.

"…No matter what, I'll always have friends… thanks guys."

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**Wow! Epic! Looks like it's all coming together now!**

**A few questions:**

**One:**** What's with Cam and his Pokemon? (Kinda easy, see summary.)**

**Two:**** Can anyone spot the Super Smash Brothers Brawl reference, and tell me where it comes from?**

**Three:**** What's in the Pokeball Joe gave Cam?**

**Four:**** Can anyone understand what 'Kurotsume' means? (Hint: It's two words in Japanese, merged into one.)**

**Well, peace out you lot! I'll upload chapter three as soon as I can!**

**So long for the moment!  
**

**+Regii/Cam, the Moon Warrior+**


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